Delco doctor who pleaded guilty to supplying drugs to dependent patient claims newspaper damaged reputation

A Delaware County doctor who pleaded guilty last year to drug charges has filed a defamation suit against The Delaware County Times over its use of the term "pill mill" to describe his practice.

Dr. Lenwood Boyer Wert is serving a two-year probation sentence and surrendered his license after pleading guilty in 2013 to two counts of supplying prescription drugs to a dependent patient.

The Delaware County Times reported on his case that was set to go to trial in November 2013.

Wert's suit, filed May 7 at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, takes issue with the characterizations published in articles between March 15 and Nov. 15.

The plaintiff says that the newspaper printed statements without attempting to contact him or his attorney. He claims the newspaper printed material that damaged his reputation and financial power and seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages.

Wert was originally arraigned on more than 1,000 criminal counts after his May 14 arrest, and officers seized his shotgun and two handguns from his home during a search. He had to give up those weapons, plus more than $400,000 as part of the sentencing.

Wert is represented by Philadelphia attorney John F. Bradley.